Judging by the quality of the Rothera Cycling Houndsooth winter cycling cap, it is clear Philadelphia based Gary Rothera knows his way round a sewing machine.

Cut and styling are sharp, while remaining practical-even hidden beneath a helmet. Attention to detail extends to sizing-many marques simply churn out one-size-fits all with varying success but Rothera offers two a small medium and large. From this opening paragraph, it will come as little surprise to discover I am suitably impressed. However, while I was hardly drowning in our large sample, the peak fell a little low, compromising my view of the road ahead.

Brown and tweed aren't colours to which I naturally gravitate but complement the sort of off season attire classically associated with French clubmen. It's a reversible design comprising of a wool outer and polar fleece lining, which seemed ideal in terms of heat retention but raised questions as to moisture transfer. In fairness it excels in temperatures between zero and 10 degrees, locking out icy chill without dulling the senses-especially hearing through along busy sections of road. Big is certainly beautiful when it comes to the peak, its porch like stature shielding my face from sun, sleet showers and airborne particles. Moisture transfer is generally good as is my reassuringly thick thatch but when the mercury tilted beyond twelve degrees; the fibres struggled to keep pace.

Hustling along at a steady 15 mph saw proliferations of jewelled sweat clinging to the tactile fleece upon the caps' removal. Despite this, successive outings, odour control seems very good but stops short of excellent thanks to those man-made fibres. Thankfully, it can be tossed in the wash at 30 degrees and dries in approximately half an hour. At 25 quid, it seemed criminal to hide the houndstooth beneath a lid but I'm pleased to report a distinct lack of bunching or similar irritation when paired with well a ventilated road helmet, banishing those ice cream headaches and helmet hair into the bargain.

Verdict

Lovely handmade cap for chill winter days but be sure to choose the right size

road.cc test report

Make and model: Rothera Cycling Houndstooth winter cap

Size tested: Large

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

"One of favorite caps, this classic houndstooth wool cycling cap will keep you warm in style through the winter".

A timeless and charming winter cap cut to work beneath helmets too.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

· Wool exterior

· Fully lined with PolarTec fleece

· PolarTec fleece earflaps

· Fully reversible

· Handmade in Philadelphia

Rate the product for quality of construction:

8/10

Rate the product for performance:

7/10

Rate the product for durability:

8/10

Should last and last.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:

7/10

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:

7/10

Rate the product for value:

8/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Perfect for those chill days between November and March, the Houndstooth keeps the head warm and comfortable, sheilding the ears from painful windblast without impairing sensory function. However,sizing is crucial for it to fulfil its true potential.

Miscellaneous

Tools and workshop

Here's how we roll at road.cc: every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a real insight into whether it works or not. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective, and we strive to ensure that all opinions expressed are backed up by facts, but reviews are always a reviewer's informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores. It reflects both a product's function and value. Good scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad. Here's what they mean: